Books can boost enjoyment of TV, movies

Marie Kondo in a scene from “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” which airs on Netflix.(Photo: Denise Crew / AP)

The book is better!

Whether fans are hoping to learn more after finishing a cliff-hanger ending or wanting to devour the book before watching the movie, the experts at Books-A-Million are recommending the ultimate companions to favorite Netflix, Hulu and other streaming titles. This list complements popular TV shows and movie titles, including “You,” “Stranger Things,” “Bird Box,” “Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up” and more.

“Think of the book as the uncut version of the movie or TV series – there is better character development, the plot is deeper, the blanks are filled in, there may be an alternate ending and there might be a sequel,” said Margaret Terwey, senior buyer for Books-A-Million. “That’s why we think the book is better and why we encourage our customers to simultaneously stream and read!”

Mystery and Thriller

“Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds: The First Official Stranger Things Novel” by Gwenda Bond is a brand-new prequel providing readers with secrets and the background of Eleven’s mother. Agatha Christie’s “The ABC Murders inspired the Amazon Prime series, which sets main character Hercule Poirot on the trail of an alphabetical serial killer. “You by Caroline Kepnes prompted the popular Netflix series about a young man who meets a woman and becomes obsessed with being her perfect partner, removing any obstacles in his way. Josh Malerman’s “Bird Box” is now a hit Netflix film about a post-apocalyptic world in which a monster lives, and anyone who sees the mysterious force is driven to deadly violence.

Home and Cooking

Decluttering guru Marie Kondo’s “Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up” has revolutionized homes and lives across the world, and fanatics can go even further with her book featuring step-by-step illustrations. From the host of the television series and podcast MeatEater, “The Meateater Fish and Game Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for Every Hunter and Angler” by Steven Rinella is a guide to cooking wild game, featuring more than 100 new recipes. Now on Netflix, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” by Samin Nosrat and Wendy MacNaughton is an ambitious new approach to cooking by mastering the use of the four title elements.

Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Game of Thrones prequel by George R. R. Martin, “Fire and Blood – 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones,” will help readers dive even deeper into the history of the Targaryens. Available in paperback in April 2019, “The One” by John Marrs explores a company that promises to match people up with their soulmates via DNA testing. Fans of the movies that are streaming on Hulu and anyone anticipating the upcoming original series will want “The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings: Deluxe Pocket Boxed Set”, a four-volume set containing “The Hobbit” and the three volumes of “The Lord of the Rings.”